Patient handling apparatus



5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 18, 1960 mm mm w m A B V m J F I q. hm .0 l A w my mm NK ww wm Q Aug. 21, 1962 A. J. BOVRE PATIENT HANDLING APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 18, 1960 Albert J. Bovre ll II lI-IIIl lIII- Aug. 21, 1962 A. J. BOVRE 3,049,725

PATIENT HANDLING APPARATUS Albert J. Bovre INVENTOR.

BY 2mm anyway 15m 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Fig.

ZNVENTOR.

A. J. BQVRE PATIENT HANDLING APPARATUS Fig. 4 5 28 30 26 BED Aug. 21, 1962 Filed Feb.

Albert J. Bovre 88 BY mdfiawyvm Aug. 21, 1962 A. J. BOVRE 3,049,725

PATIENT HANDLING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 18, 1960 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 R. m mm M Wm A W E n M m A W w w v9 v@ E @Q v9 5 E) #8 9m v8 NS NS .0 9k 98 m United States Patent Ofiice 3,949,725 Patented Aug. 21, 1962 3,049,725 PATIENT HANDLHIG APPARATUS Albert J. Bovre, Dunn Township, Dane County, Wis. (Rte. 3, Stoughton, Wis.) Filed Feb. 18, 1960, Ser. No. 9,494 10 Claims. (Cl. 86)

This invention relates to an improved apparatus which is expressly, but not necessarily, designed and effectually adapted for use in a hospital or similar establishment for handling, transferring and transporting a patient. It is equipped with self-contained facilities and properly coordinated means by way of which the patient, whatever the difficulties may be, can be safely, conveniently and satisfactorily elevated above a bed mattress while expeditious- 1y changing bed linens. Primarily, however, the object of the invention is to enable a single trained person, a nurse, for example, to successfully cope with the ever precarious daily tasks involved while handling and transferring a patient from a cot-type hospital stretcher to a bed, from a bed to an operating table or the like, and vice versa, without resorting to the use of her hands and with a minimum of discomfort to the patient.

As will be hereinafter appreciated, the construction is such that desirable patient-moving results may be attained despite variations in the height of beds and tables which have to be contended with. In addition to performing the results briefly touched upon above it will also be evident that the invention facilitates placing a patient on a bedpan without bending the patients body or in any manner disrupting or causing pain unnecessarily involving fractures of other parts of the anatomy. Then too, by using the apparatus as intended no draw sheets, customarily required, are necessary. The apparatus herein disclosed embodies novel patient-loading stretcher means which is operatively stationed within the confines of a novel frame structure providing a hoist which latter can be raised or lowered to a desired level. By reason of the particular construction utilized the hoist carrying the stretcher can be rolled in from a side of the bed or over one end as convenient in which position the component parts satisfactorily enclose or cage-in the bed.

In carrying out a preferred embodiment of the invention the stretcher means utilized assumes an upright position at the beginning of the procedure. The stretcher is characterized by a novelly mounted frame which in turn is provided with a plurality of rotatable rods constituting rollers. There are two sets of rollers, upper and lower, the upper rollers being surrounded by an endless powered apron. The lower rollers are encompassed or surrounded by an auxiliary lower apron and the two aprons operate in conjunction with each other. When the stretcher means reaches the patient the rotating apron rolls under the patient until he is in a position on the stretcher and the stretcher is then raised and the patient can be moved as hereinafter described.

Briefly summarized, the invention is characterized by means through the medium of which a patient may be handled, transported and transferred. It comprises a mobile apparatus comprising a hoist mounted on supporting and transporting legs, means carried by said hoist and operatively connected with said legs for elevating and lowering the hoist relative to the legs, and patient handling means operatively mounted on said hoist and liftable and lowerable simultaneously with the hoist, said means being mechanically movable from an out-of-the-way starting position at one longitudinal side of the hoist toward and to the other longitudinal side of the hoist, being adapted to travel between the reclining patient and the bed mattress, or other equivalent surface, and including at least one driven endless apron which is self-loading and unloading.

The aforementioned hoist embodies an openwork frame structure characterized by adjustable companion sections which are cooperatively connected together in a manner that the over-all frame structure may be decreased in size to pass through relatively narrow doorways. The construction also embodies a horizontally elongated endless upper apron driven either clockwise or counterclockwise, and a companion lower apron which underlies the upper apron and whose top run is in friction-driven contact with the bottom run of the upper apron. The lower apron is adapted to work simultaneously and in conjunction with the upper apron and it travels in an opposite direction. The top run of the upper apron is adapted to engage and load and move the patient and the bottom run of the lower apron is adapted to contact the mattress in a manner to crawl or creep across the mattress or the covering thereon. The motion of the aprons is simultaneous and coordinated to move smoothly between the patient and the supporting surface. Also the structure can be extended out far enough on the mattress to reach the outer side of the patient. When the patient is in proper place the operating means is stopped and the stretcher is raised so that the patient can be removed from the bed or table. Unloading the patient involves the procedure in reverse of that just stated.

Construed otherwise the invention has to do with a mobile leg supported frame structure providing a hoist which is adapted to assume a crane-like position over and enclosing a bed, table or the like in order to load, lift and otherwise handle the patient without using the attendants hands or strength. The frame structure is adjustable to the bed and capable of being narrowed in dimension to be wheeled through a relatively narrow doorway. Track means is carried by vertical end portions of the frame structure and a horizontally disposed frame is equipped with the aforementioned aprons, said frame having headers or end members slidingly supported by the track means. More specifically, channel members are fixed to the respective vertical end members of the frame structure, the channels opening toward each other and providing trackways. A rail is fixed in the bottom of each trackway and a rack bar is fixed in the upper portion of the trackway. The headers or end members of the aforementioned frame are provided with rollers which travel along rails in the trackway and with cogs which engage the teeth of the rack bars. The cogs at one end of the frame structure are carried by an end roller which imparts motion to the cooperating upper apron. The upper apron in turn drives or operates the underlying lower apron, the latter being trained over idling rollers on the frame.

Other objects, features and advantages will become more readily apparent from the following description and the accompanying illustrative, but not restrictive drawings.

In the drawings wherein like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the views:

FIG. 1 is a view in perspective illustrating the complete ready-to-use patient handling apparatus constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a view in side elevation of the same showing the apparatus in association with the bed and mattress and also showing the reclining patient in phantom lines;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the apparatus;

FIG. 4 is an end elevation observing the structure of FIG. 2 in a direction from left to right and in which the dotted lines represent the stretcher and track assembly (which is pivoted or cradled in the hoist) swung down to a position which permits the adjustable hoist to be narrowed so that it may be passed through a narrow doorway;

FIG. 5 is a plan view on a larger scale of the frame on which the endless upper and lower aprons or belts are mounted, said aprons being omitted for clearness of illustration;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged view taken on the plane of the line 66 of FIG. 5, looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged sectional view with parts in elevation taken on the plane of the line =77 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged view with the parts in section and elevation showing the track means and how the header or end member at the end of the stretcher is operatively supported and mounted;

BIG. 9 is a view on a smaller scale showing the purpose of the L-shaped track means which is to permit the stretcher to be stored in an out-of-the-way position at the beginning of the use of the device; and

RIG. 10 is a view also on an enlarged scale and appearing in section and elevation and detailing the construction of one of the tubular legs of the frame structure constituting the aforementioned hoist.

It is believed that for the most part reference primarily to FIG. 1 will provide a reasonably clear and understandable comprehension of the over-all apparatus. Reference will be made first to the mobile crane-like hoist. More specifically, this comprises an openwork frame structure which is denoted as an entity by the numeral 14. This structure may be made up of pipes or tubes as is generally evident from the showing. The legs of one pair are denoted by the numerals 15 and 16. The legs of the other pair are denoted at 17 and 18. Horizontal rails 20 in spaced parallelism serve to join these four comer-positioned legs to each other. At the left in FIG. 1 the numeral 22 designates an auxiliary rail'between the legs 15 and 1 7 which is primarily a brace. Between the legs at both ends transverse connecting members are provided. That isto say, a sleeve 24 is connected and extends at right angles from the upper ends of the legs 15 and 17 and this is aligned with a similar sleeve 26 which is connected with the upper ends of the legs 16 and 18. A connecting rod 28 has its end portions telescoped into the respective sleeves and this rod is fastened in place by removable headed or equivalent fasteners 30. The construction is duplicated between the median portions of the legs and the same reference numerals are employed. With this construction it will be evident that the frame structure is actually made up of left and right sections which are adjustably joined so that the over-all structure is extensible and retractible for purposes of narrowing it sufficiently to pass through relatively narrow doorways which is often necessary in many hospitals.

This hoist or frame structure 14 is mounted on and carried by leg means which makes the complete device readily portable. The leg means comprises a series of four legs which are all alike. Each leg is therefore denoted by the numeral '32. The leg is provided at the bottom with a caster 84 operable in an obvious manner. Attention may now be directed to FIG. 10 wherein it will be seen that the lower end of each tubular leg is provided with a bushing 36 to permit the desired telescoping and sliding action between the leg components to be attained. Each leg is provided at a suitable point with a slot 68 adjacent to which a sheave or pulley is mounted. The outwardly and downwardlydiverging cables 42 have lower end portions 44 extending through the slot and into the bore of the hollow leg where the terminal of the cable is fixedly connected to the upper end of the leg 32 as denoted at 46. The converging ends of these cables are adapted to wind or wrap as at 48 around an end portion of the horizontally disposed or hoisting shaft 50. The ends of the shaft are journaled in suitable bearings :2 on the aforementioned members 28. As seen in FIG. 1 for example, the shaft 50 is provided at one end with a sprocket 54 to accommodate a short sprocket chain 56 receiving its motion from sprocket means at the left including a large sprocket 58. This sprocket is suitably mounted and journaled as at 60. It serves to accommodate a vertical sprocket chain 62 receiv- I on the leg.

ing motion from the smaller sprocket wheel 64 rotatably mounted and operated by Way of a hand crank '66. It will be obvious that by rotating the hand crank and actuating the sprocket chains and sprocket wheels rotation is imparted to the shaft which serves to wind the cable means thereon. It follows that the cables cradle or suspend the hoist from the legs with the legs serving as supports therefor. In any event, with this construction the hoist 14, as a unit, may be raised and lowered to the desired elevation. eThis hoist is equipped with all of the remaining component parts which are obviously raisable and lowerable in conjunction therewith.

The legs 15 and 16 at one end of the structure provide an end frame while the legs 17 and 18 at the other end provide a second end frame and these end frames provide support means for a number of coacting components. Reference will be made first to a horizontal elongated shaft 68 (FIG. 1) which is suitably journaled for rotation on the legs 15 and 17 and is provided at one end with a hand crank 70. Keyed on this shaft adjacent the ends thereof and near the legs are fixed sprocket wheels 72. These sprocket wheels drive endless sprocket or conveyor chains 74. The right hand end portions of these chains are trained over idling sprocket wheels 76 suitably mounted on the legs 16 and 18 respectively.

Reference will now be had to the tracks. For purposes to be hereinafter explained, there are two identical tracks mounted on the aforementioned end frames and each track is L-shaped in side elevation and channelshaped in cross section. The track is denoted in each instance by the numeral 78. The long or horizontal branch is denoted at 80 and the vertical branch at 82.

The vertical branch extends upwardly and the branch 80 spans the space between the legs 15 and 16 and 17 and 18, respectively. The right hand end portion (FIG. 1) is removably fastened in place by an insertable and removable bolt 84. The junctional portion between the branches 80 and 82 is suitably hinged as at 86 (FIG. 9) This is the aforementioned cradling feature. It provides the result attainable as shown in dotted lines in FIG. 4. That is to say, it is necessary under certain conditions when it is desired to narrow the hoist to release the track means at the point 84 and to allow it to swing down against the brace 22 Where it has a position which does not interfere with the adjusting of the sections of the hoist 14.

It is of particular interest to note that both branches of each track have their channel portions opening inwardly, that is, toward each and these channels provide the trackways. 88 is fixed to the upper flange of the channel iron. An L-shaped rail 90 is fixed to the lower flange thereof. The aforementioned conveyor or sprocket chainv is hung by a bracket 92 directly beneath each channel iron and this construction is to accommodate the specially made stretcher, that is, the patient handling, lifting, loading, unloading and transferring stretcher device which is disposed in a horizontal position and spans the space in the hoist in the manner shown in FIG. 1. This means i characterized by a frame which is denoted generally by the numeral 94 in FIG. 5. This frame has channel-like end members or headers 96 of the construction shown in FIG. 6 Mounted for rotation therebetween are the rods constituting the multiplicity of rollers. It will be noted that the end member is provided with a wood or an equivalent filler 98 which, in turn, is provided with an upper row of bearings 100 to receive the reduced journals 102 on the ends of the roller rods 110. This construction is evident perhaps best in FIG. 8. Also, and as shown in FIG. 8, the headers are provided with free turning collars or rollers 104 which travel along the rails 90 in an obvious manner. The headers are also provided with depending lugs 106 which are pivotally connected as best shown in FIG. 7 with the upper run 108 of the adjacent or cooperating sprocket chain. It follows that the revolv- As seen in FIG. 8 an L-shaped rack bar ing travel or movement of the sprocket chains serves to' impart movement by way of the lug 106 to the headers which, in turn, bodily shift the over-all frame 94 back and forth.

As shown in FIG. 7, there are two sets of rotatable rods or roller-rods. The set at the bottom comprising three embodies the several rods 110 over which the lower endless apron 112 is trained. This apron embodies a zipper fastener 114. The other set of rods 128 serve to accommodate the upper and main loading and unloading apron 116 which here again is provided with a zipper 118 to render the apron readily applicable and removable. The roller-rod at the extreme right as denoted by the numeral 120 constitutes an apron tightener. It is provided with a stud 122 having a nut 124 connected thereto which makes it possible to accomplish the adjustment in the clearance notch 126. All of the rollers or rods 128 idle freely except the one at the left which is denoted by the numeral 130 and this is the driving or power rod for transmitting motion to the tightly fitted endless apron 116. This roller 130 has cogs or gears 134 afiixed to the ends thereof which are in mesh with the teeth of the rack bars. Similar cogs 136 are provided at the ends of the first-named roller-rod 120 (FIG. 5) and these are idling cogs. Nevertheless, they also are in mesh with the rack teeth.

With this construction of tracks fixed to the hoist it will be evident that as the hoist is raised and lowered the tracks are also raised and lowered. By the same token the roller-equipped frame 94 with the upper and lower aprons mounted thereon and the sprocket wheels and sprocket chains are also simultaneously raised and lowered. Also with this construction it will be evident that the roller-equipped frame and aprons thereon a novel patient handling stretcher is provided. This stretcher can be shifted or moved to the inclined out-of-the-way position shown in FIG. 9 simply by operating the crank 70. In other words, turning this crank operates the conveyor chains and the conveyor chains cause the linked stretcher to move back and forth therewith and the cooperation between the cogs and rack teeth serves to impart motion to the powering roller 130 which, in turn, operates the apron 116. The lower run of the apron 116 is in friction driving contact with the upper run of the lower apron 112 as brought out in FIG. 7 so that the upper apron operates the lower apron and the aprons, of course, travel in opposite directions as is evident.

When it is desired to narrow or adjust the sections of the hoist 14 it is obvious that it is necessary to remove the fastening bolt 84. When this is done, the tracks and stretcher and sprocket chain all cradle down in the manner shown in dotted lines in FIG. 4. Were it not for this pivoted cradling and releasable construction, the extensible and retractible feature of hoist could not be accomplished. As the hoist is narrowed the drive chain drops down but still remains on the gears and the L- shaped tracks have sufficient play so that it can be moved slightly and will drop below the gear. The same method is used to release the L-shaped tracks. However, it is to be noted that the L-shaped tracks drop toward the floor until the long limbs strike the brace which prevents the tracks from hitting the floor all as should be evident, it is believed, to reader.

It will be noticed in FIG. 7 that the several first rollers at the left are of smaller cross-section and are slightly inclined at an oblique angle in respect to the plane of the idling rollers above them and the purpose of this construction is to facilitate enabling the leading end of the aprons to work most satisfactorily and to pilot itself into place between the patient and the bed mattress.

It may be repeated that the stretcher means is in an upright position as shown in FIG. 9 at the beginning of the procedure. Turning the crank 76 will bring the stretcher down and toward the bed over and onto the mattress. When the stretcher reaches the patient the rotating apron rolls under him until he is in a position on the stretcher and the stretcher is then raised and the patient can be moved as is evident. A slight elevation of the structure has been supplied by slightly staggering the rollers in the manner illustrated in FIG. 7. Also, if desired a brace or joint (FIG. 5) may be employed in connecting the several first pipes or rollers to insure rigidity and to avoid undue flexing and bending as this leading end of the device approaches the patient. With this construction the patient may be loaded or unloaded and handled in a careful and convenient manner.

It will be noticed too that the motion of both aprons is simultaneous and coordinated to move between the patient and the support surface on which he is reclining without disturbing any part of his body and in so doing, nor disturbing any part of the linens or bedding on which he is lying by virtue of the substantially non-sliding engagement between the stretcher and upper mattress surface of the bed, achieved because of the movement of the lower run of apron 112 in a direction opposite to movement of the stretcher. The linens may be changed on the bed while the patient is lying on the stretcher. The patient can be placed back on the bed with relatively no discomfort and as mentioned before, no draw sheets are required. The powered aprons are geared to perform the function of rolling under and picking up the patient in one operation.

The question may arise in the mind of the reader as to why it is necessary to utilize tracks which are L-shaped and why the vertical branches are utilized. The purpose here is an accommodation for the stretcher. Obviously, by building the tracks straight they would be too long and the over-all structure would have to be too wide and would not pass through narrow doorways. In the starting operation the stretcher unit is stationed in the vertical part of the track. It is lowered to the level of the bed and levels off to perform the duty of moving the patient. The performance could perhaps be likened to the operation of a grain binder where the grain is elevated from the platform to the rollers, the grain going between the rollers. On this construction the rollers on the frame means is so situated that the patient and pillow has to follow the top apron. The cooperating runs of the upper and lower aprons actually contact and frictionally hug each other so closely that the power of the top one puts the lower one into action with the aid of some pressure on the mattress and without disturbing the sheets.

The frame structure which provides the hoist is sturdy, durable and reliable and yet is easy for the attendant to push and shove from place to place. It is believed that the cables and winding shaft in conjunction with the telescoping legs provides a novel structural arrangement wherein the frame structure is actually cradled or suspended from the telescoping legs. Any suitable means may be provided in practice for tying the hand crank 66 against movement once the adjusted height is attained. The means is not detailed here.

Without attempting to be repetitious it is to be stressed that the part identified broadly or in an over-all sense by the reference numeral 14 has already been referred to as a mobile leg-supported hoist and alternatively as a lifting and lowerable frame structure. It may be added that this means 14 could also just as well be construed or interpreted as a conveyance since it serves to convey the various facilities from place to place. Then too, the aforementioned frame 94 may be properly construed, it is submitted, as a traveling carriage in that it carries the cooperating aprons back and forth. Also, the end members or headers in which the journals at the ends of the roller rods are turnable and supported may themselves be referred to as carriages in that they ride back and forth in the tr-ackways. Then too, while hand cranks are employed in experimental model for manual use, it is within the purview of the invention to use, if found to be practical, motors (not shown). The conveyor chains might also be referred to as 7 shifting and position changing means for the apronequipped stretcher or transfer device. It has been felt necessary to include explanatory terminology as a basis for the necessary covering claims.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

7 1. For use in handling, transporting and transferring a patient; a mobile apparatus comprising a hoist mounted on supporting and transporting legs, means carried by said hoist and operatively connected with said legs for elevating and lowering the hoist relative to the legs, and patient handling means operatively mounted on said hoist and lift-able and lowerable simultaneously with the hoist, said patient handling means being mechanically movable from an out-of-the-way starting position at one longitudinal side of the hoist toward and to the other longitudinal side of the hoist, for travel between a patient reclining on a supporting bed and the patient supporting bed, powered endless apron means mounted on and movable relative to the handling means in response to movement of the handling means between said positions for patient loading and unloading purposes, a horizontally elongated endless upper apron driven either clockwise or counterclockwise, and a companion lower apron underlying the upper apron having a top run in friction-driven contact with a bottom run of the upper apron, said lower apron being adapted to work simultaneously and in conjunction with the upper apron and traveling in an opposite direction, the top run of the upper apron being adapted to engage and load and move the patient and the bottom run of the lower apron being adapted to contact the mattress in a manner to crawl across the mattress.

2. An invalid hoisting, transporting and handling apparatus comprising a mobile leg-supported frame structure providing a hoist adapted to assume a crane-like position over and enclosing a patient supporting surface or the like to load, lift and otherwise handle the patient, said frame structure being adjustable to the bed and capable of being narrowed in dimension to be wheeled through relatively narrow doorways, channel members fixed to the respective vertical end portions of said frame structure, the channels thereof providing trackways, a rail fixed to the bottom of each trackway, a horizontal frame spanning a median portion of the frame structure and having end members provided with idling rollers resting atop and rollable on said rails, drive means carried by the frame structure and operatively connected with said end members to move the frame along the trackways by way of the rails and rollers travelling thereon, endless aprons operatively mounted on said frame and drivingly connected to the channel members for patient loading movement relative to the frame in response to movement of the frame, said endless aprons are drivingly connected to the channel members by a rack bar fixed in the trackiway directly above the underlying rail, and pinion gears rotatably mounted on the end members operatively cooperable with said rack bars.

3. The structure defined in claim 2, and wherein the drive means includes sprocket wheels mounted for operation on vertical members of said frame structure in a plane below the plane of the apron-equipped frame, endless conveyor chains trained over their respective sprocket wheels, said end member being mechanically linked to said chains to travel in conjunction therewith.

4. A patient handling apparatus comprising a frame structure adapted to be temporarily placed in a cage-like manner around a bed or the like and embodying pairs of vertical legs at the ends of said structure, a lengthwise horizontal shaft mounted for rotation between the legs at one longitudinal side of the frame structure and provided at its respective ends with sprocket wheels keyed and to turn with the shaft, a crank for turning said shaft, complemental sprocket wheels mounted for idling on the legs at the longitudinal side of the frame structure opposite said one side, endless conveyor chains spanning the space between the left and right legs and entrained over their respective sprocket wheels, tracks fixed in a horizontal frame to the legs at the ends of said frame structure, said tracks being situated directly above the upper runs of the chains, apatient handling stretcher extending horizontally between the pairs of end legs, said stretcher embodying a frame adapted to carry and operate endless aprons, the end portions of said frame having rigid lugs linked to the upper runs of said chains and means for moving said apron in response to movement of the stretcher, said last mentioned means embodying a plurality of rotatable rods for said aprons, at least one rod having motion transmitting cogs fixed on the ends thereof, said cogs being adapted to travel back and forth in the trackways of said tracks, and each track having a rack bar fixed therein, the teeth on said cogs meshing with the teeth on said rack bars, said tracks being channelshaped in cross-section and L-shaped in end elevation, said rack bars being correspondingly L-shaped, the long limbs of each L being horizontal and the short lirnbs vertical in a manner to permit the frame to be moved to a stored out-of-the-way starting position.

5. In a patient handling, lifting and transfer apparatus, a cot-like stretcher comprising a pair of transverse end headers provided with a plurality of bearings, a plurality of rods arranged between said headers and having journals at their outer ends rotatable in their respective bearings, there being a leading rod along one lengthwise side constituting a power delivering shaft, and a set of freely idling roller-rods also journaled at their ends in bearings in said headers and located in a plane below the first-named roller-rods, a first removable endless apron embracing the first-named rods and adapted to be moved by said shaft, a second apron removably embracing the secondidling roller-rods also journalled at their ends in hearings in said headers and located in a plane below the firstnamed roller-rods, a first removable endless apron embracing the first-named rods and adapted to be moved by said shaft, a second apron removably embracing the second-named rods, said second-named apron having a top run in friction-driven contact with a bottom run of the first-named apron, and a movable conveyance on which said stretcher is operatively mounted, said conveyance includes channels providing trackways, each trackway having a rail at a lower portion and a rack bar fixed inan upper portion, said headers being provided with cogs engaging the teeth of the rack bar and rollers rollable along said rails.

7. The structure defined in claim 6, and means on said conveyance for shifting and changing the position of the stretcher in relation to the trackways.

8. The structure defined in claim 6, and means on said conveyance for shifting and changing the position of the stretcher in relation to the trackways, said means embody-- ing endless sprocket chains, and sprocket wheels operatively supported on the conveyance and operatively connected with said headers.

9. A patient handling stretcher device comprising, adjustable frame means positionable above a patient supporting bed, stretcher means movably mounted by the frame means for movement from a vertically inclined position along one side of the frame means to a horizontal position above the bed and under a patient, loading means movably mounted on the stretcher means for movement in a patient loading direction in response to movement of the stretcher means toward the horizontal position, bed surface engaging means movably mounted on the stretcher means and drivingly connected to the loading means to accommodate non-sliding engagement between the stretcher means and bed upon movement of the stretcher means relative to the bed.

10. A patient handling stretcher device comprising, adjustable frame means positionable above a patient supporting 'bed, stretcher means movably mounted by the frame means for movement to a position above the bed and under a patient, loading means movably mounted on the stretcher means for movement in a patient loading direction in response to movement of the structure means 10 toward the horizontal position, bed surface engaging means movably' mounted on the stretcher means and drivingly connected to the loading means to accommodate non-sliding engagement between the stretcher means and the bed upon movement of the stretcher means relative to the bed.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,122,825 Wasley Dec. 29, 1914 1,829,274 Gilroy Oct. 27, 1931 2,139,667 Brauer Dec. 13, 1938 2,192,821 Torines Mar. 5, 1940 2,528,048 Gilleland Oct. 31, 1950 2,5 65,761 Dean Aug. 28, 1951 2,899,694 Horowitz Aug. 18, 1959 2,918,681 Davis Dec. 29, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 119,295 Austria Oct. 10, 1930 

